Month: April 2012

I CAN’T BE MYOPIC

/ lubimur / Leave a comment

ABOUT MY PURPOSE. I can’t just focus on cash flow and freedom from the corporate structure, because what good is that when some kind of event could very likely occur that would disrupt the other systems I am so dependent upon? http://www.timesofisrael.com/iaf-plans-for-iran-attack/ It’s stuff like this that makes me realize I need to be working on prepping for self sufficiency and independence from ALL the systems as much as I need to be working toward Liberty for the purpose of making my own decisions and living life the way I see fit. It’s not just threats from abroad either. Take a look at what those who decide what is best for us are up to:
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120412/NEWS01/120419797/nrc-reveals-radioactive-water-spill-at-limerick-nuke-plant&pager=full_story

I really don’t intend to make this blog overtly political, since I am keenly aware that it is pointless in a single party system, even If we can’t tell whether that party is the Demopublicans or the Republicrats. I want to spend my time talking about things of which I actually have a choice. So back on topic, I have to make progress in my life that will get me closer to independence in multiple areas at once, which make the process considerably slower.

With that in mind, I bought a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket with a lid and spent about $5 on a 5lb bag of sugar, a 5lb bag of flour, and a bag of organic oats (don’t remember the weight on that one). Stuck that stuff in the bucket, threw in some moisture absorbing packs from some empty vitamin bottles, sealed it up and put it in the coolest part of my garage. I also spent some time (about an hour) over the weekend working on my resume. Baby steps, that’s what this blog is all about (because that’s all I can afford).

WOOHOO!

/ lubimur / Leave a comment

I got my tax return and sent it immediately to pay off a credit card last week, and this week I called the credit card company and cancelled that bad boy! I am done with debt serfdom. The urge to spend tax returns on non-essentials because “I deserve it” can be pretty strong, so I just sent it as soon as I got it. There’ll be time for frivolous spending once I am free. The concept of Suburban Resilience is to be resilient; this means being able to take care of yourself so you can be free. It means being your own person and making your own decisions. That is a lasting enjoyment, whereas a new flat screen tv while I am still in debt just perpetuates the cycle.

I had a coworker suggest that they would probably pay off the card but keep the account open to help their credit rating, and as a “just in case” fallback. I must admit, I thought of that too. But all debt is cancer, and resilience means being independent from the corporate banking credit system as well. By cancelling the card I have forced my own hand, I now have one less crutch to lean on instead of achieving my goal. As for my credit rating (which isn’t very good anyway), you really only need good credit for two things: buying a home, or for business start-up costs. I am currently buying the home I live in, so why don’t I just focus on that. And if I do decide I need to buy a different house, maybe I should have enough money to use as a down payment that my credit rating doesn’t really matter. Otherwise I need to ask myself the question, “can I really afford it, or am I again becoming dependent on something that is bad for me?”

It feels good to be making progress on the road toward liberty!

I’M BACK

/ lubimur / Leave a comment

I haven’t written in a while for a couple of reasons: one I just haven’t been that inspired, probably because I am exhausted and life/work has been quite demanding; and two I can only do it when Robin isn’t around because she hates me blogging/journaling as much as she hates my truck.

Just for clarification, I paid $1500 for my truck and have since put about another $1500 in it. So overall I have spent $3000 on a truck with a full (8 foot) bed, a manual transmission and an inline six engine. The thing is practically a tractor. It is a power house beast that’ll last forever. She hates it because it is ugly, and thinks I should have used the money to apply toward a credit card. If you ask me the truck is well on its way to paying for itself. We have used it many times for things like hauling stuff to the dump, bringing home the television armoire she bought used (no delivery option and it wouldn’t fit in anything but the truck due to its size and weight – it couldn’t be laid on its side without risking structural integrity), and bringing home a pallet of sod. I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking to use the neighbor’s minivan to fill with sod.

So back to my original point, I have to post in secret unless I want to deal with a bunch of attitude. She thinks that it is time that could be better spent finding another job in fortune 500 CorpAmerika. She just won’t accept that my blog serves any kind of purpose other than wasting my time. She thinks it’s about as useful as watching reruns of “Friends”, so I must get up early enough to do my posts by 6:30 AM. Like I say in my tag line, “…No Money, No Time, and An Unsupportive Spouse.” Thing is, I may one day want to create a blog that generates revenue because I am a huge believer in multiple revenue streams. In fact, that is a concept I am teaching my kids because that may be the only way many in their generation will be able to do more than just scrape buy. Redundancy implies resilience. This blog is a perfect training ground for that.

Another thing is: the more people I can show how to get on the road to liberty and resilience, the less power the current centralized systems have. Options are power, and the larger the community the more power it has. Many people look at what others are doing and have accomplished and feel like it is out of reach for them to do that. This blog shows them the baby steps that I am taking are steps almost anyone can take. That gives people hope and direction, which then brings them into the resilience community. But we must take action as individuals in order for the community to be viable. For me right now, if my job goes away, I am dead in the water. I have nothing in place to mitigate that catastrophe so I would be nothing more than a burden in that community, which by definition would mean I am not part of that community at all. I am still completely dependent upon the corporate payroll system and the just-in-time grocery system to meet my needs. That must change. I must get back up systems in place – and so must you!

Action

  • Took my youngest with me to buy some more raw milk from a local farm. [Supporting local community, supporting small farming, improving health through quality food. Also showing by example the importance of buying local and natural]

“If we wait for the governments, it’ll be too little, too late; if we act as individuals, it’ll be too little; but if we act as communities, it might just be enough, just in time.” – Rob Hopkins, founder of the Transition Town movement.